Perth Glory have moved seven points clear at the top of the A-League after holding on to beat Melbourne Victory 2-1.
The visitors were ahead inside the opening 10 minutes when Andrew Keogh got the better of Adrian Leijer to power the ball in from a Nebojsa Marinkovic cross.
It did not take the league leaders long to double their advantage as Marinkovic played the ball in again, this time finding Chris Harold who rounded Nathan Coe before slotting the ball into an empty net.
Archie Thompson had a chance to pull one back for Victory before the break, but Danny Vukovic got to the ball before him, claiming it before the striker could get a show away.
The home side saw more of the ball at the start of the second half, and managed to cut Perth's lead in half when Guilherme Finkler was brought down in the box, leaving Besart Berisha to fire in from the penalty spot.
Victory could have been back on level terms a few minutes later when Thompson played the ball back in, but Vukovic eventually claimed it after a goal-line scramble.
Glory immediately put their opponents under pressure down the other end, but Harold was denied a second when Coe made a save with his legs.
The home side continued to press though, and came within a few millimetres of an equaliser when Thompson saw a header kept out by the crossbar.
Keogh made a couple of runs in the final few minutes as Perth tried to end any hope of a late leveller for Melbourne, but the two first-half goals proved enough for the visitors.
The result moves Glory seven points clear of Victory, who remain second, at the top of the table.
Sian Cowper
